How do you survive as legendary East Engle?

[rampage]

Starting gold and food can barely maitain one full stack, need to upgrade some fisheries and mint first.
A few turns from start Wicing will come at you, defeating it makes you annex your only vassal and help.
All governors are disloyal, spend gold to secure their loyalty and the economy development will be crippled, leave them disloyal and you can expect a civil war as soon as West Seaxe comes.
Sooner or later West Seaxe will come, with its own 2-3 full stacks and other 2-3 full stacks from its vassals, while you only have 1 full stack, or 2 full stack with a civil war.
Any idea how to work this out?

[RobG4]

Some tips:

Turn 1: Max taxes. Throw a feast. IGNORE THE REBELS FOR NOW. Park Guthrum in Colnecheaster and purchase as many troops as you have gold left, avoiding elites/retinue for now. Move Gunnar's stack towards rebels - he will arrive by turn 3. Dismantle Forge in East Seaxe.

Turn 2: Buy more troops with Guthrum. Keep Gunnar moving towards rebels. Any Governor skill points go into Priest (if loyalty is 2 or below) or Forager. Ignore the rebels for now. Build Granary in East Seaxe.

Turn 3. Purchase more troops for Guthrum. You should have 19-20 by now. Move Gunnar to the rebels. Attack with Guthrum. Take on Warriors. Put General's skilpoints into Quartermaster or Forager. Put Guthrum back in Colneceaster. Buy troops for Guthrum to fill his stack if needed, elits/retinue are fine now. Move Gunnar towards Gipeswic.

Turns 4-6: Move Guthrum to Gipeswic. Encamp Gunnar outside Gipeswic. Start filling Gunnar's army to around 6 units or so. Continue putting skillpoints in Priest or Forager. Wait for Wicing in turn 5. Any Here King events, choose English. Ignore any rebellions which may happen in Middel Seax or Grantabrycgscir. Any Events which may happen, choose whichever option maintains Guthrum's Infulence the most.

Turn 7: Wicing will either amphibious assault Gipeswic or land nearby. Wipe them out with both armies. Ransom Captives.

Now look at West Seax's political situation, and join/declare war on any of his enemies. It's usually the minor Viking factions. Start gobbling them up. Fill up your second stack. Perhaps recuit a new general & adopt him and make him your heir to save & on upkeep for your second stack. Make money through ransoming non english warriors and sacking/occupying new settlements.

Eventually, Weast Seaxe will either attack you or like you so much he will leave you alone. If he attacks, send a lone general along his coast and sack/occupy his coastal settlemens & those of his vassals. Pick off his stacks, always with a numerical advantage if possible.If he leaves you alone, gobble up Northumbrye after killing off the minor Vikings.

[rampage]

Originally posted by Spotted ♥♥♥♥:

Some tips:

Turn 1: Max taxes. Throw a feast. IGNORE THE REBELS FOR NOW. Park Guthrum in Colnecheaster and purchase as many troops as you have gold left, avoiding elites/retinue for now. Move Gunnar's stack towards rebels - he will arrive by turn 3. Dismantle Forge in East Seaxe.

Turn 2: Buy more troops with Guthrum. Keep Gunnar moving towards rebels. Any Governor skill points go into Priest (if loyalty is 2 or below) or Forager. Ignore the rebels for now. Build Granary in East Seaxe.

Turn 3. Purchase more troops for Guthrum. You should have 19-20 by now. Move Gunnar to the rebels. Attack with Guthrum. Take on Warriors. Put General's skilpoints into Quartermaster or Forager. Put Guthrum back in Colneceaster. Buy troops for Guthrum to fill his stack if needed, elits/retinue are fine now. Move Gunnar towards Gipeswic.

Turns 4-6: Move Guthrum to Gipeswic. Encamp Gunnar outside Gipeswic. Start filling Gunnar's army to around 6 units or so. Continue putting skillpoints in Priest or Forager. Wait for Wicing in turn 5. Any Here King events, choose English. Ignore any rebellions which may happen in Middel Seax or Grantabrycgscir. Any Events which may happen, choose whichever option maintains Guthrum's Infulence the most.

Turn 7: Wicing will either amphibious assault Gipeswic or land nearby. Wipe them out with both armies. Ransom Captives.

Now look at West Seax's political situation, and join/declare war on any of his enemies. It's usually the minor Viking factions. Start gobbling them up. Fill up your second stack. Perhaps recuit a new general & adopt him and make him your heir to save & on upkeep for your second stack. Make money through ransoming non english warriors and sacking/occupying new settlements.

Eventually, Weast Seaxe will either attack you or like you so much he will leave you alone. If he attacks, send a lone general along his coast and sack/occupy his coastal settlemens & those of his vassals. Pick off his stacks, always with a numerical advantage if possible.If he leaves you alone, gobble up Northumbrye after killing off the minor Vikings.

Thanks a thousand times mate! You truly enlightened me how to play on legendary level, so many game mechanisms I have ignored, now I can finally start to enjoy this. Really appreciate the help.

[madracc00n]

Making Ai siege u also helps,lunden is very good choke point

[rampage]

Originally posted by madrac00n:

Making Ai siege u also helps,lunden is very good choke point

You can always count on Roman military engineering, as long as you don't get outnumbered 4 to 1, West Seaxe and its vassals feel like babarian invasion to me.